Session 2 Recap
In the hour-or-so after the characters agree to defend the Schoolar.... To the Scholars annoyance, he is not left alone by the PC's at any point (even if the players are otherwise busy, then Tivram is guarding him). Arik boards up the upper window. Goldie (still in cat-form) tries to read the translated pages the Scholar is working on, but gets kicked out. She manages to take two pages with her and reads them. The pages are a page of translation notes and 1 page on the history of Waiqar (pre-betrayal) Bogga (the innkeeper) grants them access to the basement level of the inn and they discover the basement links into several underground tunnels (1 a former crypt) -which have been boarded up. Dandy takes a lot of interest in these tunnels, and learns that one has been boarded up more recently than the others (a few years, rather than 10+). Gar is standing vigil inside the half-burnt-out stables. A voice begins to talk to him, and seems to be tied to the sword. The sword is encouraging Gar to brutal violence. He ignores it for a while, and it goes silent but after nearly an hour it warns that 'Death is coming' and Gar goes to warn the others. Dandy questions the captive cultist/assassin (previous session), who gives up little and threatens that a bigger more direct assault will soon come to take the book. Goldie ventures into the basement and investigates the barricade. She squeezes inside and get's distracted chasing rats. She notices a ward on the wall (which was already partially noticed by Dandy), but opts not to investigate right away. Everyone begins preparing for a fight, arming up and organising. Arik tries to encourage the patrons into the basement for a strategic advantage but they seem to fear going down there, instead they rally and bunker down on the ground floor. Outside figures approach the tower, hanging back at the edge of the light. Inside the Fire erupts into a firey head (Unidentified Gnome Cultist). It warns everyone that they only want the book and the translation, but if they don't give the scholar and books up that everyone inside will soon die. Dandy squeezes through/breaks the baricade and investigates the tunnel. A mechanical table-waiter is moved from the basement to the ground floor doorway to serve as a distraction. The crowd of men are encouraged by Dandy (who's cooking fish-on-a-stick for the prisoner) to chant 'We won't die!", but the crowd twists it and chants 'IWe might die, but we won't die easy!". The Scholar refuses to stop his translation and is forcibly carried into the basement. PC's start creating barriers at the basement bottle-neck. The siege begins, but the doors don't hold up for long. When reanimated dead break in through the door it sends waves of fear through the patrons, and many begin to flee downstairs. Giada (The Kellos Priestess) uses her magic and enterage to try and slow the dead down. Several PC's start forming a get-away plan, but the scholar demands more time. Gar read's several pages of the translated text# He only needs a few more minutes to finish his translation. Dandy decides to clear the tunnels clear of rats by pouring lantern oil through the barricade and throwing fire through. Seconds later a similar fire happens on the ground floor as Giada uses fire magic to repel the 'first wave' of attackers, but knockes herself out in the process. Her guards being her and the remaining patrons downstairs. They spend a few minutes preparing to cave in the Inn (with chains around a week structural support), waiting for the word from the Schoolar. The second wave of Undead reach the bottom of the stairs just as the scholar is ready and the roof is caved in. In the following chaos everyone grabs what they can and heads into the tunnels. Giada is revived and given the translated pages (although Gar ends up with them shortly after). Cat-Goldie points to the wards and it is explained it is a ward that was used to stop monsters wandering up the tunnels into the Inn. (The ward used to be renewed yearly, but the Magi, Joanne, who used to do it has not been seen in 3 years and is missing). On the escape, Bogga explains he used to use these tunnels to access an underwater tunnel connecting to the lake- until a sea-monster settled in and he blocked it up. There are 2 routes out from these tunnels, one will take them under the lake and out to the other side, near the seamonster; the other will bring them west to the mountain hills, where some other creature/s have settled in and litter the entrance with mutilated (mauled/mold) bodies. #What they have learned about the book. The Book is written by an insane author. It contains a detailed history about Waiqar, information about the location of Kellos (who is 'slumbering') and prophesies involving both those figures and 'The Five' (Described as 'The Liar', 'The Deceived', 'The Collector', 'The Novelty' and 'The Cursed')